Useful Information On Concrete Sidewalks

الثلاثاء، 29 مارس 2016

By Donna Gibson


A sidewalk is a path constructed along the road on the sides. In Britain, Australia, and South Africa, it is referred to using other names such as footpath, footway, and pavement. Concrete sidewalks are separated from the section with vehicular traffic on the road using curbs. Road verge or median strip is used in some cases too. Here, they may also demarcate the boundaries of the pavements.

In Washington and other states in the United States, the term sidewalk is preferred over the other terms. Britons prefer the term pavement more than sidewalk. Footpath is preferred in other Commonwealth countries. The definitions given to sidewalks by civil engineering and the legal system vary from one country to another.

The history of pavements has its origin withiin the Roman Empire and Ancient Greece. As early as the fourth century, some footpaths in Corinth were paved. Semitas were Roman Empire pavement specialists who built the footways within the empire. Among the earliest efforts to have dedicated paths built for pedestrians was the Act for Colchester. Similar efforts existed way back in 1623.

Authorities started making policies to help in maintenance of order in the streets of London during rebuilding after the great fire of London. Adequate paving of all streets within the city became one among the requirements of the law. At that time, the most commonly used material was pubeck stone. Protection of pedestrians from motorized traffic was achieved through the installation of bollards. In the US, laws were passed that made it mandatory for adjoining property owners to finance the construction of sidewalks. They were required to do this regardless of whether or not they consented to the construction of the sidewalk.

There are several benefits associated with the existence of sidewalks. The first benefit is that they play a very significant role in transportation because they allow pedestrians to travel safely while being separated from motorized traffic. They increase safety. In most cases, both sides of the road are constructed with a sidewalk to allow more room for movement. This is true especially in places where pedestrian traffic is much higher than motorized traffic.

Pathways are also responsible for reduced emission of carbon dioxide into the environment. As people opt to walk, the number of vehicle miles travelled is reduced even though on a small scale. Reductions in levels of carbon dioxide emission have been found to reach eight percent in regions with pavements on which people can walk.

The general health of populations that can access pavements seems to be improved on average. People living in neighborhoods that have pavements jog and walk more often than they drive. Thus, they mitigate health problems that are associated with sedentary lifestyles such as heart cardiovascular disease and obesity. Additionally, walking to school makes children have higher levels of concentration than those who use other means.

Various materials are used to construct modern pathways. In North America, concrete dominates as the major construction material. However, in Europe, other materials such as tarmac, rubber, asphalt, stone, and slab are in wide use. Some of the materials that were previously in use include brick and wood.




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